Kantar’s 2024 Irish Brand Footprint has revealed that innovation is driving brand growth and winning space in shoppers’ baskets.
In its ranking of the most-chosen FMCG brands by Irish shoppers, the top five have remained unchanged since last year.
Brennans takes the lead, followed by Avonmore, Tayto, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and Jacob’s.
The market researcher found that local brands still hold high rankings on the list, showing that trusted products still have a place in Irish households.
Irish households are purchasing an average of 77 brands over the course of a year, according to the research.
Interestingly, the brands that have gained or maintained their position are the ones that have invested in product development and innovative ways to promote their products.
Jacob’s, for example, released two new flavour combinations in 2023: a new cheese-and-pickle flavour and a new rosemary flavour.
The introduction of new flavours kept shoppers curious and opened them up to more diverse snacking, bolstering the brand in the meantime.
Brand Awareness
Within the wider top brands’ ranking in Ireland, Ballygowan broke into the top 100 for the first time, jumping by 32 positions, to land at number 81.
The jump was helped by the introduction of its flavoured sugar-free water and the awareness granted by its partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).
Kantar reports that Ballygowan’s presence in Irish households increased by 17.2% after it became the official water partner of the IRFU, showing the impact of brand awareness.
Speaking about the results, the business development director at Kantar, Emer Healy, said, “Even in a cost-of-living crisis, Irish shoppers are still prioritising the brands they know and love, especially those that are innovating or providing small luxuries within their budgets.
“When we look beyond the top-five ranking, we can see that brands focused on meeting changing consumer needs are making it into the basket more often.”
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